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Medical Forum / General / General / March 2006

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Trauma Kit: What do YOU need?

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Brian - 19 Mar 2006 03:04 GMT
Medical professionals: let's say you come upon a trauma scene (e.g.,
gunshot, terrorism, major traffic collision), and you have nothing with
you.  If a bystander pulled a bag of medical supplies out of his trunk,
what are the things you'd want to see in that bag that would keep a guy
stable long enough for an ambulance to arrive?

For argument's sake, let's say the bag is the size of a shoe box, and
what's inside costs no more than $100.  I look forward to your
responses.
cuniqu@yahoo.com - 19 Mar 2006 21:53 GMT
If you haven't found one to fit the need described, then I suggest put
together one yourself purchasing the individual components. I came
across this website http://www.rahascientific.com/ which offered some
what related equipment.

Kowlosky Sim

> Medical professionals: let's say you come upon a trauma scene (e.g.,
> gunshot, terrorism, major traffic collision), and you have nothing with
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> what's inside costs no more than $100.  I look forward to your
> responses.
(PeteCresswell) - 19 Mar 2006 23:52 GMT
Per cuniqu@yahoo.com:
>If you haven't found one to fit the need described, then I suggest put
>together one yourself purchasing the individual components. I came
>across this website http://www.rahascientific.com/ which offered some
>what related equipment.

The OP read to me like somebody wanted expert medical advice on what to put into
such a kit.
Signature

PeteCresswell

(PeteCresswell) - 20 Mar 2006 00:08 GMT
Per Brian:
>If a bystander pulled a bag of medical supplies out of his trunk,
>what are the things you'd want to see in that bag that would keep a guy
>stable long enough for an ambulance to arrive?

I'm no medical professional, but I'm a mountain biker - i.e. I have more
practical experience than some with getting through the rest of the day with
various minor wounds.

I'm guessing you want to put something together for your personal use.  If
that's the case, I'd offer up one bit of non-medical advice.

I always carry a little squeeze bottle of Betadyne.  Only about an ounce.  I use
a bottle that used to hold contact lens solution.   If it's a surface wound, I
just dribble the stuff on.  If it's a puncture wound, I gently inject the stuff
into the wound and then flush with clean water.

One medical professional that sewed me up a few days after one incident
commented that she did not like Betadyne because it caused too much tissue
damage - and that she preferred thorough cleaning with plain water.

I still use the stuff religiously for three reasons:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) A long time ago, while building a boat, I scraped a small area on the back of
one hand with some sand paper.   Didn't think anything about it at the time.
Spent two weeks thereafter drifting in and out of consciousness with my face
swelled up like a basketball and a walnut-sized throbbing lump at the site of
the scrape.   Score one for prompt disinfection of all wounds, no matter how
slight.

2) Flesh-eating bacteria.   I think the technical term is "necrotizing
faciatitis".   Google it.  You won't be the same.   Couple years back, a biker
around here got it in some road rash.  Went to a hospital within hours and still
lost his leg.   Score two for prompt disinfection of all wounds.

3) Since starting to use Betadyne (maybe 10 years ago), I've never had a wound
get infected - even puncture wounds.   Maybe plain water would've worked just as
well.... but with antibiotic-resistant staph floating around, I don't want to
experiment.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Signature

PeteCresswell

ohush@unc.edu - 20 Mar 2006 16:03 GMT
> Medical professionals: let's say you come upon a trauma scene (e.g.,
> gunshot, terrorism, major traffic collision), and you have nothing with
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> what's inside costs no more than $100.  I look forward to your
> responses.

First of all, I'm only a nursing student.  I'm only answering because
nobody else is and I think it's a good question.  You can't reliably
keep somebody who's gravely injured stable for under $100.

But I think a good start for under $100 would be the following:
Several pairs of silicone gloves in each size.  A lot of healthcare
professionals are allergic to latex, maybe because of decades of
exposure to powdered latex gloves, so avoiding latex gloves is
important.  Remember if there's more than one victim you'll need to
reglove when you go back and forth between them.  You need a silicone
CPR valved mouth shield, alcohol wipes, and a bottle of any sort of
antiseptic.  (I like chlorhexidine because it doesn't sting.  Some
people are allergic to iodine so they can't use Betadine.)  A bottle of
sterile saline.  A small pack of antibacterial hand wipes (like Wet
Ones) would be nice.  A length of rubber tubing suitable for use as a
torniquet.  A few rolls of gauze, some assorted sterile gauze pads, a
roll of wide tape, and some cohesive wrapping (the stretchy stuff that
sticks to itself).  Make sure you can tear the tape with your hands.
Maybe a pair of scissors too (for cutting clothes).

If you also had a roll of paper towels, a flare, and a flashlight in
your car but they didn't have to fit into the shoebox, that would be
nice too.

That's just my guess.  I probably missed something important.

--Patti
Twittering One - 21 Mar 2006 03:20 GMT
Well considered, Patti.
Sounds cogent.
 
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